It hasn't been a great couple of weeks for Donald Trump. First, Republicans scored a splashy win in the Virginia gubernatorial contest with a candidate who mostly stiff-armed Trump publicly. Next, President Joe Biden accomplished in nine months what eluded Trump for four solid years. Even worse, the trillion-dollar plan—similar to one Trump floated in March 2020 but didn't have the skill to deliver—also garnered solid bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House. Biden's success entirely destroyed Trump's ridiculous claim to being a master dealmaker. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has recently caved to Trump on other critical issues, surely felt a hint of glee when he declared the Biden bill «a godsend for Kentucky.» Overall, Trump still dominates the Republican Party and appears poised to continue snuffing out its more moderate, establishment elements in next year's midterms. But not everyone is bending to Trump's will, and if there's anything Trump craves, it's 100% fealty from everyone at all times. So in that sense, these last couple weeks have been filled with disappointment. Read more